BFA in Animation

While earning a bfa in animation at otis college, students bring characters and stories to life through an immersive and rigorous studio program. 

• The interdisciplinary BFA in Animation program at Otis College develops innovative and adaptive storytellers. By helping students synergize creative skills, soft skills, and production techniques, we equip graduates for inspiring work as 3D modelers, animators, creative directors, visual effects artists, and more. Additionally, this degree is STEM-designated, offering a unique blend of technical and creative training that enhances career prospects in both artistic and technology-driven fields.

Why Study Animation at Otis?

• For more than 25 years, Otis College’s Digital Media education has grown to meet the evolving needs and opportunities of the animation industry. We now offer two distinct programs: Animation and Game and Entertainment Design. Animation focuses on specific tools and applications while delivering a core curriculum that includes rendering, modeling, mathematics, character design, and complex graphics. The result is an incredibly well-rounded education that prepares students to work in fields as varied as entertainment, education, and the military.

What You’ll Learn

• The BFA in Animation curriculum encompasses digital cinematography, entertainment, graphic design, and art. We explore all aspects of the animation process and provide opportunities for you to grow familiar with current software. Each semester, you’ll apply your learning in both 2D and 3D animation to your own studio projects.
• The Otis College BFA in Animation offers an immersive and interdisciplinary curriculum that embraces digital cinematography, entertainment, graphic design, and art.
• In this program, you will explore all aspects of the animation process, including storyboarding, character design, 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and sound. Along the way, you will gain experience in a wide range of techniques, including 2D and 3D computer animation. Through learning how to successfully conceive and develop complex graphics, this program will shape you into a well-rounded animation professional.

Learning Outcomes
Upon graduating from the BFA in Animation program, will be able to:

• Collect, identify and analyze information to create elegant and creative solutions for the creation of animation content.
• Apply mastery of skills such as, story structure, animation principles and cinematography and filmmaking techniques to create, conceptualize, plan and organize for pre-production, production and post-production.
• Be self-directed, motivated, and adaptive in learning the latest techniques and tools to collect, identify and analyze information to create elegant and creative solutions for the creation of digital media.
• Assume responsibility for collaboration production work with diverse teams across multiple media disciplines and value the individual contributions made by each team member.
• Create social awareness and show compassion in using their content to give back to the community by understanding the impact of media and how it relates to and influences behaviors across cultures and global boundaries.
• Be able to communicate effectively to articulate their work and ideas while working with others in pursuit of a common goal.

Skills You Will Learn:

• Animation
• Drawing
• Color Theory & Design 
• Storyboarding & Previz 
• Visual Development & Storytelling
• 3D production (Modeling, Lighting Rendering)

Software You Will Grasp:

• Maya
• Adobe Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Premier)
• ToonBoom 
• Cinema 4D 
• Unreal 
• Houdini 
• Nuke 
• ZBrush

Key Program Projects:

• Animation Explorations 
• Animation Studio Project I & II
• Animation Senior Project I & II

Career Possibilities

Animation graduates apply their craft to a wide variety of roles and disciplines. Otis’s Los Angeles location provides ample opportunity to explore careers in entertainment and beyond.

• Character Animator
• 3D Animator
• Visual Designer
• Storyboard Artist
• Digital Matte Painter
• 3D Generalist
• Cinematic Animator
• 2D/ 3D CG Artist
• Animation / Game Designer
• Production Coordinator
• Layout Artist

Animation Faculty

• Our team of experienced animation instructors help you build core skills in an energized, hands-on learning environment.